If your American dream is to live in one of the best condominium communities on the West Coast, your dream just came out with new pricing.

Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, arguably one of the West Coast’s most successful high-rise communities, has released revised pricing on its remaining homes. As follows, in order of square footage:

Designed by Weber + Thompson Architects, and developed by William Justen, Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue is a 38-story luxury high-rise community located on 2nd between Pike and Pine Street. Each level is designed to only accommodate 3 to 5 homes. The property also boasts a Seattle rarity: protected water views over Pike Place Market. Its floorplans are designed to maximize visual potential, and its exclusive interiors are designed by Susan Marinello.

In addition to achieving LEED Silver status, Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue also features high tech, engineering, and space-planning standards. And check out this list of amenities!

Located between Pike Place Market and the Retail Core, and with a Walk Score® of 95 and a Transit Score™ of a perfect 100, Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue is steps away from the best that the Belltown/Downtown Seattle area has to offer in shopping, restaurants, services and entertainment.

With 117 homes sold (84%), it’s a great time to make your move into one of the best communities in Seattle. Check out our website, then call us at 206.910.5000, or drop a line to urgent@stroupe.com for more information or to schedule a private tour.

In a further sign of a market turnaround, Northwest Multiple Listing Service has released data showing that 23 luxury condominiums, priced at over $1 million, have closed during the first three months of 2011! This compares with only 13 sales in for the same period in 2010. Better yet, another 13 multimillion-dollar homes are currently pending. This will provide a strong lead-in for second quarter, and it’s a powerful indication that a luxury home sales trend is firmly in place– and accelerating.

Why now? More market liquidity because contingent homebuyers are successfully selling their homes, enabling them to now buy a condo. Mortgage financing has loosened up over the past year for qualified buyers. The economic outlook is improving, and so is buyer confidence. Seattle enjoyed a number of huge commercial real estate transactions in 1Q11, and job opportunities are resurging.

Those are all good reasons, of course, but more telling was the shift in momentum when November 2010’s Washington State Ballot Measure I-1098, which would have imposed a state income tax, took a pounding at the polls. We heard from a number of buyers, primarily from outside Washington, whose decision to purchase a multimillion-dollar home was contingent on the outcome of that vote. Not having a state income tax is an influence which may have been flying under the radar for some time, but it is now proving to be a real dealmaker in deciding to buy a Washington State property. Out-of-state buyers are snapping up homes for business, pleasure, or both. Baby-boomers are booming here too. Retirees are either looking to downsize to condominiums, or to spend time in multiple homes in different states. All in all, prospective buyers are getting more savvy about investing in Washington State– no income taxes, sharpened prices and a lock-and-leave lifestyle.

And the good news keeps coming. The Washington State Department of Licensing reported a 25% increase in drivers license registrations as of February 2011, compared with 2010 (based on a rolling 12-month period). One-third of 11,237 new state residents relocated to King County. And, thanks to the 2010 U.S. Census, Washington State grew enough over the last decade to snag another congressional seat, plus another vote in the Electoral College.

No high-rise condominium project has broken ground in Seattle since 2007. That’s when the housing market peaked, and a global credit crunch either deferred or canceled dozens of projects. It’s safe to say that Seattle was saved from overbuilding!

We now find that the majority of the most premier, view-oriented units have been quietly absorbed. Inventories at the most preferred properties are finite and prices are firming up. There’s a flight to quality, and sales occur where the value is present. Some examples:

• Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, a tower averaging nearly $2 million per unit, is 77% sold with seven new sales pending during the past 45 days alone.

• Olive 8 has sold 18 homes since the New Year, with only a few of the coveted northwest corner units remaining.

• Escala has effectively sold out of its larger west-facing plans.

• Fifty homes have either closed or sold at Bellevue Towers since the beginning of this year.

• Harvard & Highland, which opened in November 2009, have closed 22 of their 38 homes, with five pending.

• 200 West Highland, which went on the market in November 2010, is down to only two homes out of an original number of 17.

Currently, 65 condominiums priced at over $1 million are on the market in King County. There are all kinds of wonderful places for sale, and we’re in the know about which ones can best fit your lifestyle. Send an email to urgent@stroupe.com, and let us work on the perfect home for YOU!

“Design Matters” is a new video series on the attributes of Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, bearing testimony that the unique qualities of Fifteen Twenty-One have earned them their distinctive market niche, which has continuously held its value in spite of the current condominium market.

The six spokespersons representing different design attributes on the Design Matters series (note that the starred* names are also Fifteen Twenty-One homeowners) are:

The contributors cite numerous tangible and intangible attributes that set the project apart including: transformative “tall and slender” architecture; protected water views; all larger format homes averaging 1,988 sq. ft.; the first-of-its-kind “Glass Rooms” in the homes; a uniform “all penthouse” approach to design; a strong sense of community; and a sales focus towards principle residences helping to maintain established market pricing. This has led to numerous awards and acknowledgments by industry judges at regional and national development competitions held by such organizations as NAIOP, Multifamily Executive Magazine, The Pacific Coast Builder’s Conference and The National Association of Homebuilders.

Right off of Pike Street, Fifteen Twenty-One is within easy walking distance to Pike Place Market, the Seattle Art Museum, plus a number of shops and restaurants in the best of Belltown. Only 3 to 5 homes are located on each floor (143 units on 38 stories), ranging from 1,659 to 2,958 sq ft. Their claims of being “The West Coast’s Most Successful High-Rise Condominium” are well-founded because they paid off their $176 million construction loan in the fall of 2010.

Fifteen Twenty-One also has a great list of amenities including a 24-hour concierge, security controls, conference space / digital boardroom, rooftop terraces with wide-open city, water and mountain views, a rooftop Sky Lounge, spa-worthy residential fitness center plus a yoga and Pilates studio, playrooms for kids and a convenient pet area.

With over 75% of its homes sold, public records confirm that Fifteen Twenty-One has closed more in-city condominiums valued above $1 million than all other new construction condominium developments in the city combined. Some of this is attributed to overwhelming consumer preference to the matchless design characteristics, plus protected water views programmed several years ago.

We at the Stroupe Group are very proud that we have helped many buyers purchase homes at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, and they still express their satisfaction over their decision to buy. We continue to be positive about this project, and firmly believe that this is one of the nicest condominium developments in Seattle. Check out the Design Matters series for yourself, then send us an email at urgent@stroupe.com for more information or to schedule a private tour.

There’s so much lately about properties in trouble, going bankrupt, or stalled in development that we thought we’d pass along some good news. Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue claims it’s “The West Coast’s Most Successful High-Rise Condominium” and you know what? They’re not kidding. We received word that their $176 million construction loan is now down to only $600,000! They estimate that this loan will be fully repaid with the next closing. Speaking of which, they celebrated their 100th closing on September 8th.

Fifteen Twenty-One is a 38-story luxury high-rise located on 2nd between Pike and Pine Street. Each level is designed to only accommodate 3 to 5 homes ranging from 1,659 to 2,958 sq ft. The property also boasts protected water views over Pike Place Market, with floorplans designed to maximize visual potential. An Open House is scheduled for Saturday & Sunday, September 18th & 19th from 12 -4 . If you’d like more information about this property and what else makes it so special, just fill out our contact form at this Stroupe Group link. Cheers!

Realogics | Sotheby’s International Realty has given us some additional exposure internationally, which in turn has increased our ability to showcase luxury properties. Take a look at these spectacular Seattle condos by clicking on their view below.

Fifteen Twenty-One

Floor-to-ceiling walls of glass & unparalleled Sound, Mountain, Space Needle & city views are the cornerstone of this luxury urban enclave, designed for those with the most discriminating of taste.

Click the View for Listing Details

Waterfront Place

Embrace city living in this tranquil, spacious, yet intimate unit in the exclusive Waterfront Place. Interiors by Holly McKinley.

Click the View for Listing Details

First Hill Plaza

Unparalleled 270 degree views of downtown Seattle from this custom designed sub-penthouse condo. Best designers with no expense spared on this elegant unit.

Click the View for Listing Details

If you are interested in listing your luxury property, contact us to learn more about our savvy marketing and global network.

We wanted to take a moment to share a beneficial service we provide for both buyers and sellers looking at downtown Seattle real estate. Over the last couple of years, we have built a collection of websites for buildings downtown, and have many more in the hopper. Our intention with these websites is to allow each unique address to convey its own personality online.

Every site we build for a condo building allows a visitor to:

View active units for sale,

View the past three years of sold history,

Sign up for instant email notifications of new listings,

Inquire about a particular unit’s value,

See a neighborhood map and WalkScore,

Look at a photo gallery of amenities, and

Get building management/concierge contact information.

In addition, whenever we have a seller that lists with the Stroupe Group, we integrate a customized page with professional photography. All of our building websites also place at the top of all major search engines for maximum exposure, and we also use linking strategies to further secure placement.

Canlis Glass | Collection of How Water Moves by Wind | "Ocean Studies"

Featuring a collection of glass art by Jean-Pierre Canlis, developer William Justen introduced him to a crowded 2,999 square foot penthouse of approximately 300 attendees on the 38th floor. Before that, Justen took a moment to explain his intent on merging his two passions: urban residential development and visual arts. “Fifteen Twenty-One was a natural choice as it is itself a glass sculpture for living”, he said.

Canlis then gave a brief overview of his inspiration for the estimated $250,000 in original works created just for the event. Most works (dynamic 400 foot high gallery with a backdrop of Elliott Bay and city lights) were inspired by water and waves in action with the wind. The majority of the work is engraved, hand-cut with a diamond bit wheel taking an upwards of 100 hours per piece after it is blown. Canlis (and his wife Leigh) spent a month this past winter living in Venice and working side by side in Murano, Italy with maestros in the art of glassblowing.

The concept of the partnership of art and Fifteen Twenty-One was to illustrate “art in place” vs. sitting in a showroom. The two-level penthouse will be open to the public during the vertical art walk event taking place on September 26th and 27th from 11am to 5pm.

*Homes are penthouses on every level, and average $1.88 million (two-thirds alreadysold). Other art installations include several model homes by Susan Marinello, Alchemy Collections, BO Concepts and SAM Art Museum.

*Those interested in viewing the art in the two-level penthouse will be allowed that opportunity during the vertical art walk event taking place on September 26th and 27th from 11am to 5pm.

Additional free public viewing opportunities are available during the open house weekend on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. Those interested in attending these free open house events are encouraged to call (206) 443-1521 or visit www.1521second.com.

Ocean Studies | Breathe Series

Ocean Studies | Breathe Series

Vision of Canlis Glass:

Founded by Leigh + Jean-Pierre Canlis with a vision for the future of glass, Canlis Glass expands the limitations and pushes the boundaries of what is known as traditional in the glass art world. Translating simple, clean forms found primarily in nature into glass artwork, J.P.’s innovative and abstract approach, coupled with Leigh’s eye for design and business savvy, set them apart from their contemporaries.

The Canlis Glass Gallery + Studio is located at 3131 Western Avenue, Suite 329, Seattle, WA 98121. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and by appointment.

Both Leigh and J.P. were great hosts and extremely passionate about their work. Please give them a click -> www.canlisglass.com

We are delighted to present to you a press release just sent to us by Nyhus Communications. And, we’d like to add, Congratulations! Well deserved!

Seattle’s Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue Earns Two Prestigious Awards in the “Best of the West” Development CompetitionPacific Coast Builders Conference Highlights Ongoing Success for the 440-foot Condominium High-Rise

SEATTLE – June 23, 2009 – Opus Northwest, today announced that its Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue condominium development in downtown Seattle received two honors at the 47th annual Gold Nugget Awards. At the awards ceremony – the premier event at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference – Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue won the top award for “Outstanding Attached Project – High-Rise for Sale” and received an “award of merit” in the category of “Sustainable Residential Neighborhood – Attached Home.” Another Opus project, Canvas LA, won an award of merit for “Residential Community of the Year – Attached.”

The Gold Nugget Awards program honors creative achievements in architectural design and land-use planning for residential, commercial and industrial projects.

During a three-day judging process, a panel of eight industry professionals from across the country selected Award of Merit honorees and Grand Award winners from a field of hundreds of entries representing 14 Western states and international high-rise markets as far away as China and Dubai.
Judges acknowledged a long list of design innovations at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, including:

The first “tall and skinny” residential tower under a new zoning code (440 feet tall)

Elimination of traditional terraces in favor of indoor/outdoor solariums

Unobstructed views of Elliott Bay from almost every home (even those on the east side of the tower)

The first luxury high-rise anticipated to achieve a “silver” LEED rating

All new concepts were exhaustively test-marketed during the tower’s design and were key differentiators leading to impressive sales statistics today. The project was designed by Seattle-based architectural firm Weber Thompson and Opus Architects & Engineers is the architect of record.
“We’re very proud of both the design and our ongoing market success,” said Andy Taber, Senior Real Estate Director for Opus Northwest – Seattle, who accepted the awards on behalf of his development team. “These acknowledgments reinforce the civic role that developers play – to challenge convention and to listen to the marketplace when designing new communities.”

Taber says with an average purchase price of more than $1.9 million, homes at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue are bucking the trend of a regional housing market slowdown, which is more acute in higher price ranges. The project’s sellout pace since opening in January remains steady at one new home per week, bolstering its reputation as the most successful condominium on the West Coast. The development, near Pike Place Market, was also noted for contributing half of the top 25 residential sales closed in King County in recent months. To date, 81 of the 143 homes have closed with many more scheduled over the coming weeks and months.

Of these 25 sales, 13 were downtown Seattle condos. Of the 13 condos, 12 were 1521 Second. The 13th wheel at 1000 1st Avenue is the boutique hotel/condo project Hotel 1000/Madison Tower. The remaining 12 sales were all single family homes, most of which were waterfront with five bedrooms.

What kind of listing agents would we be if we didn’t insert a conveniently placed…

PLUG: If you’d like to catch the 1521 boat, we have a couple of impressive listings to look at:

It’s been some time since we’ve put out an edition of the Stroupe Scoop. It’s proven to be one of the top print publications for downtown real estate, featuring an overview of sales stats, highlighting a featured building, and additional recognition for our featured listings. Now back by popular demand, we encourage you to sign-up and download the monthly Scoop by either subscribing to our “eNews and Updates” located in the top right area of our blog (sends automatic emails everytime we post). Or, if you would just like to get the Scoop by email, subscribe here.

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